The present invention concerns a machine for automatically making pancakes and of a type comprising a heated cooking drum which is mounted for rotation on a horizontal shaft, is connected to means which impart rotary movement thereto, has on its periphery at least one raised surface area having a contour corresponding to the shape of the pancakes to be made, and is disposed above a batter pan in such manner that the raised area is adapted to be immersed in the batter contained in the pan, the machine also comprising means for detaching and removing the cooked pancakes from the raised surface area of the drum.
A known machine of this kind is described, for example, in United States Patent No. 2,663,249.
In the known machines, the batter contained in the pan becomes stagnant when the machine is stopped, so that, when the machine is stopped for a sufficiently long period, a skin of hardened layer forms on the surface of the batter, due to the heat radiated by the cooking drum. This hardened layer prevents any further making of pancakes, and some adjustment has to be made to enable machines to be started up again. Consequently, the known machines cannot conveniently operate completely automatically, but require the permanent presence of a supervisor.